The work performed in the Bone Metabolism and Repair group, led by Chantal Chenu, aims at investigating the regulatory and repair mechanisms of bone.
Chantal has a long standing interest in the role of the nervous system in the control of bone turnover and repair. Her work currently focuses on the mechanisms of skeletal pain after osteoporosis, fractures and osteoarthritis and the discovery of novel molecular targets for the development of drugs that decrease skeletal pain. Her group uses clinical studies in patients with vertebral fractures to develop nerve markers measurements in serum, animal models of osteoporosis, fractures and osteoarthritis and cell culture to investigate the interactions between nerves and skeletal cells.
Group Leader/Supervisor/PI
PhD, HDR
Professor
+44 (0)20 74685045
Camden
My current research work is focused on two main inter-related themes that cover several cellular and molecular aspects of skeletal research and have a common link, which is bone fractures.
- Based on my previous work and expertise over the last two decades, I am interested in understanding the mechanisms by which blood vessels and nerves regulate bone turnover and repair.The incidence of osteoporosis (OP) is in sharp increase due to the ageing population and its consequent fragility fractures represent one of the most common causes of mortality and morbidity in older patients. The occurrence of osteoarthritis (OA) is also increasing alarmingly, contributing largely to this epidemic of fractures. While most fractures heal, the process of fracture healing is significantly impaired by age, OP and OA . There is therefore a clinical and scientific need to better understand the mechanisms leading to these fractures and to identify the events involved in bone repair.
- My other research theme, more recently developed, examines the mechanisms driving skeletal pain, and aims to develop strategies to decrease it.. Musculoskeletal disorders are major causes of disability in the world due to the associated musculoskeletal pain. Millions in Europe and beyond suffer from joint and bone pain and there is still a very poor understanding of the mechanisms that drive skeletal pain and a limited range of analgesics to treat it. Skeletal fractures are also very painful and little is known regarding the events contributing to bone pain after fractures.
PhD Students
